Crustaceans and Echinoderms

Crustaceans have bilateral symmetry. They all have five pairs of legs and most have at least one pair of claws and have a hard outer shell. The crustacean grows out of it's shell, the shell does not grow; this is called molting. If a leg is lost, it will be regenerated. Echinoderms have spiky skin and an endoskeleton (skeleton on the inside of its body). All echinoderms have radial symmetry, meaning it has more than two lines of symmetry. Both echinoderms and crustaceans regenerate limbs. Crabs, shrimp, and lobsters are all crustaceans. Sea stars, sea cucumbers, and sea urchins are all echinoderms.

Crustaceans:
                                                            Blue Lobster (Panulirus versicolor)

Hermit Crab (Paguristes cadenati)

Cleaner Shrimp (Lysmata amboinensis)

My favorite crustacean, Peacock Mantis Shrimp!

Echinoderms:
                                          Eleven-armed Sea Star (Coscinasterias muricata)

                                                     Water Melon sea urchin (Echinus melo)

                                              Conspicuous Sea Cucumber (Synapta maculata)

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=video&cd=3&ved=0CD8QtwIwAg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DQnPJPSYFBgA&ei=Z21_TfyVFZSJ0QHv-6CHCQ&usg=AFQjCNFga9TGxe0UelqfVuKTwevogWvt3w&sig2=RhKswb-0AZqjyyI-w9FTEA

Biofilm simulation at the G.C. Marine Reserve

Last Friday, February 25th, the class read about a biofilm plate simulation. Ecologists studied communities of organisms to learn about species richness, species evenness, and the species diversity. The problem was to determine the distribution, abundance, and setting rates of benthic organisms. Our materials consisted of: graham crackers, frosting, sprinkles and other cake decorations, miniature marshmallows, lifesavers, small drink cups, plastic knives, a paper towel, and a picture-taking device. On our paper towel, which represents the ocean, we "glued" the graham cracker with cake icing. The graham cracker represented the plexiglas plate. Because plexiglas is smooth, the spat, larvae, and spores of many bottom dwelling organisms will not settle on it. We used the plastic knife to spread cake icing on top of the graham cracker to make the surface rough; not the young bottom dwellers can settle on the plexiglas. In order for the plexisglas to stay put, the ecologists had to bolt it down. We used Lifesavers gummies as our bolts. After we "bolted" our plexiglas, some organisms started to settle on the biofilm plate, or plexiglas. On the biofilm plate, red coralline algae, diatoms, barnacles, coral, and oysters began settling on the plate. The red sugar crystals represented the red corraline algae, brown long johns represented the diatoms, rainbow sprinkles represented the young barnacles and marshmallows represented the adult barnacles, rainbow long johns represented the coral, and blue or green dots represented the oysters. My biofilm plate contained 101 red corraline algae, 18 diatoms, 30 young barnacles and 3 adult barnacles, 34 coral, and 2 oysters. My biofilm plate (graham cracker) is compared to a quarter in both pictures.

                                                                         Before...

After...with adult barnacles

Signs of Spring

Today was so beautiful, despite the 43 degree temperature and the wind. The sun was shining and there weren't any clouds in the sky. The class walked down from the school to the baseball field to look for our first spot to look for signs of spring. There weren't many, but there were still some signs. I noticed that the grass is getting greener and the temperature is slightly changing. I also noticed that a lot more birds are out singing and chirping. I saw a few tree branches with flower and/or leaf buds. Several trees in the woods began growing leaves again. By the lake, I saw cattails bursting with their white, fluffy seeds. On the trees, I looked at the several types of flower buds on the trees in the woods; some of the buds on the trees had already bloomed into flowers. I spotted Alder Catkins that dangled from the trees, which contained pollen. Moving along past the lake, there weren't many signs of spring, other than the birds chirping and trees with flower/leaf buds. A few yards past the lake I spotted very many buds on a tall tree, more buds than all the trees that I saw in the woods it seemed like.

Algae Sitings

Our teacher told us that we had a homework assigment to find things that contained algae. I found several products that contains algae. I took three pictures of some of the products that I found. I took a picture of Burger King ranch dressing, Country Crock butter, and Colgate toothpaste. Carrageenan was found in the Burger King ranch dressing and the Colgate toothepaste. Beta-Carotene was found in the Country Crock butter. I also found beta-carotene in Smart Balance Light buttery spread and in Infant Formula Similac Advance: Complete Nutrition. Algae can aslo be found in yogurt, sour cream, pet food, mayonaisse, ice cream, evaporated milk, coffee creamer, chocolate milk, yellow or orange cheese, and brownie mix.

Colgate toothpaste

Burger King ranch dressing